Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-27

known to me by name, and for some
time have endeavored to contrive an
interview with you in vain. could not
come up to the Hail." he added, no
doubt seeing amazsment written on my
face. ''rhe fact is, Miss Armitage, l
love Edith Thorndyke; but her step
father considers my p isltion inferior to
hers and refuses to allow me to see her
until she is of age. Doubtless you are
aware that she will inherit a great deal
of property.
IL strongly disapprove OF discussing
these family matters with total stran.
ger, sir, said, trying to move away.
.Also, MIR. Foster has absolutely for
hidden it. Good morning"
"One moment" he pleaded. edith
Thorudyke's very life may depend upon
il! Have you heard the terms of her
mothers will?"
"rhey are nothing to me, SIR"
"Oh, but please, Miss Armitage! l
entreat you! Do listen to mt! When
Mr.. Fosters first husband died he left
her some thousands year, in addition
| to Gorton Hall aud the estates, entirely
at her own disposal. She married again,
and died last year, ;1hen it was found
that she had left her husband Edith's
sole guardian until she should be twenty
one, when she would enter into the pos.
session of the Thorndyke property. In
case she died before attaining her major
ity, one-half of the property would de-
volve upon Mr. Foster and half upon
relatives of the Thorndykes. Even the
half is very large sum, Miss ArmItage,
quite enough to tempt man like Mr..
Foster to to. In short, sadly fear
that Edith Thorndyke will not be al.
lowed to live until she is twenty. one."
This is downright madness! ex-
claimed. ''Mr. Foster is the kindest
and best of men-quite incapebl OF har
boring designs upon his step daughters
life."
II know Lawrence Foster; YOU do
not" lie answered quietly. Il know
him to be bold and cunning and unscru.
puous. Edith believes in him and his
sister; but she is sadly deceived. I
hoped to be able to enlist you on my
side, Miss Armitage, when | heard of
your arrival at the Hail. l should be
! glad to feel that Edith has one disinter.
ested friend in the house"
"But ought not to speak to you at
all. said. feeling very uncomfortable.
"Mr. Foster has strictly forbidden me
to gossip with strangers"
because he is afraid that you might
hear the truth"
"But if he is what you say, why does
he have companion for his ep,daugh-
ter at all? l must be n check on his
movements. see all that goes on; he
never hides anything from me-"
Don't you see that your presence is
additional security for him? It disarms
suspicion. Surprising Edith--well, died
suddenly; people would say: Miss Ar.
mitage was there: she knows all about
it, and no comment would be excited;
| whereas it would seem suspicious, at all
| events to the Thorndyke family, who
are by no means satisfied with the terms
| of the will, if Edith were to die while
living alone with Mr.. Foster and his sis
ter. There can be nos doubt that the
money must be an immense temptation
to him. He has nothing Of his own.
Ten Thousand year, and only one fra.
gile girls life in the way!"
| must say the speakers earnestness
and unmistakable sincerity began to
make an impression upon me. | had
fancied once or twice that Mr.. Foster
exercised an unusually close surveillance
over Edith and me. Were DR.. Archer's
words true, and was l merely lay fig
ure at Gorton Hall to deceive the world?
Had l been taken into society by my
employers. and my praises trnmpeted
forth to all their acquaintances, merely
in order that my presence should disarm
suspicion!
"You have made rue very uncomfort.
able" candidly confessed.
"Believe me, MISS Arnntage, would
not have taken this course but that |
was compelled by necessity. Edith's
step father has such complete ascend.
ancy over her that it is difficult to know
what to do. But you are always with
her and can watch over her"
"But | am only paid companion,
liable to dismissal at any time"
"True; but l hope you will try and
stay as long as You can. for Ed .h's
sake"
81 fear she is very delicate"
| "She is delicate; she needs care. But
as she gets older her health will prob.
ably improve. There is really no reason
why she should not live for many years.
But / fear-I fear many things, but
chiefly poison, slow and secret. Mr..
Foster is an accomplished chemist, and
his Observation-Disclosures known to me
than to most people-give me little con-
tidence in him. Ii you knew as much
as l do about him, Miss Armitage, you
would not onder at my suspicious. But
be sure of this: There is danger. have
no proof against Mr.. Foster and there.
fore cannot interfere in any way. Prom
Use, promise me, Miss Armituge, that
you will inform me of everything sus-
| picious you may see from this time.
| Here is my address.
l hastily took the protiered card and
gave the promise, anxious to return be-
fore Mrs. Morrell should be uneasy at
my absence. She laughingly remarked
that the sermon must have been un.
usually long and in casual manner
asked what was the text. Luckily,
was able to supply chapter and verse
and lengthy catalogue of my fellow
worshipers. 1t then struck me for the
lowed to 60 out alone, either Mr.. Foster
or Mrs. Morreli might find out, by skill.
fully put questions, everything l had
said, seen and done.
| Now that suspicion had once entered
into my mind, ! saw grounds for it
everywhere, as might have been expect
ed. The most absurd fancies entered
into my head. l persuaded Edith in
secret to lock her door at night before
retiring to rest, which she had never
done before. l do not know what L ex.
pected to happen. The precaution was
"a senseless one; for the foes l was fight.
ing against were far too clever and subtle
to contemplate anything SO foolish as
commonplace midnight murder.
l will do my employers the justice to
say that with all this 1 spent delight.
full summer. They took Edith and me
to Scotland for two months tour, and
l never enjoyed a holiday so much. A